1927 Bentley 3-Litre Sports Four-Seater
Chassis No. BL1620

To be auctioned on
Thursday, January 20, 2011

87 bhp, 2,996 cc single-overhead cam inline four-cylinder engine, four-speed manual transmission, solid front axle and live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs, and four-wheel mechanical brakes. Wheelbase: 117.5"

- Iconic Red Label Bentley
- Extensive history file
- Archetypal British sports car

Chassis BL1620, a Red Label car, was registered in March 30, 1927 to Mr. William Arnold of Manchester, England and assigned number TD9501. As supplied, it was fitted, like many 3-Litre Bentleys, with a four-seat, fabric-covered open tourer body by Vanden Plas of London. The early history of the car is a bit obscure, but it was in Ireland in the 1940s, where it is said to have belonged to Lord Gort’s son. In 1949, it passed through Gainsborough Pictures, Ltd. while it appeared in the film A Boy, a Girl and a Bike.

For the greater part of its life, however, BL1620 was owned by George W. Bennet of Greenlaw, Berwickshire in southeast Scotland. Mr. Bennet was a founder of the Bentley Drivers Club in May 1936, with G.W. Pelmore and Forrest Lycett. Bennet bought the car from Basil Mountfort, of Bentley specialists Hofmann and Mountfort, in 1950. He raced it occasionally, writing to a fellow BDC member in 1952 that “The Bentley is going very well, but having won one race this year I shall rest on my lorry or laurel at the next meeting.” In 1965, he wrote to H.G. Hinchcliffe, editor of the BDC Review, that “My own 3-Litre really does have the performance suggested, but, having won a race at Charterhall in 1953…the last time I attained 90 mph was in the process of teaching manners to a German tourist.”

Bennet was a mechanical engineer and wrote for the Review on several occasions. In an article published in 1965, he compared the attributes of several early European automobiles and included astute engineering commentary on his own 3-Litre TD9201. In the latter, he addressed the engineering weaknesses of the Bentley’s rear end, the car’s only acknowledged weak point, remarking that “W.O. will not be taken aback by my remarks on the Hotchkiss drive because we have corresponded on the subject before.”

Bennet detailed his own work on the car in a number of letters. Around 1950, he personally overhauled the engine, including a complete set of engine bearings. In 1974, he described to Frederick Bannister that he had made “refinements” to the cooling system and flywheel and restored the original camshaft covers to achieve the compression ratio of period Bentley team cars, resulting in 87 bhp and “giving the same performance as a standard 4½ Litre.”

George Bennet kept BL1620 until the mid-1980s, when it was sold to Peter William Butler of Warwick. Butler kept it through 1991, selling to Barry William Banham of Little Hadham, Ware, Hertfordshire. Terry Holden of West Horseley, Surrey bought it in March 1993, selling to Peter Tidd of Chelsham, Surrey in 1996. The current owner purchased it in England in 2001 and imported it to the United States.

Continuously maintained, though never fully restored at any one time, the car is one of the nicest Red Label Bentleys to be found. Mechanical systems have been renewed as necessary, and cosmetic issues dealt with as they arose. The body is covered with black fabric, nicely contrasting with burgundy leather seats. A full tonneau cover is included with the car. Although not used recently by the current owner, it was correctly laid up and is presently being recommissioned for the road.

Accompanying the car is a thick binder of records and correspondence relating to the car and its owners. With its extensive history and excellent condition, it is the ideal car for the connoisseur of Red Label Bentleys.

"TD9501 carrying precious cargo (John Gailey's bride-to-be Fiona) with Eddie at the helm – Greyfriars 23/04/1983!"

"BL1620 was purchased by my father Eddie Ewart around 1981 from George W. Bennet of Greenlaw estate when he passed away. I remember the car being a bad state when brought home to Eskbank Motel Dalkeith.